AINAA is going to organize a Get-together @ Delhi/NCR on 17th December’ 2017. It will be a one-day meet for which the agenda and venue will be declared soon. We will also be posting the names of our Chief Guest and other distinguished guests, who are going to interact with and motivate our alumni on the occasion. This invitation is for Navodayans from all over the country. Think, decide and kindly confirm your availability by November 30, 2017 so that we can PROCEED accordingly.

This meet is another effort towards the fulfillment of our motto: give back to the society. Our little effort can shape the future of our young navodayans and the society as a whole. We request everybody to please feel free to contribute your ideas/views in order to make this event memorable and successful so that we can carry the torch of light of our socially responsible Navodaya alumni and students to the future.

Few points to note for the meet are given below:

The arrangements for the meet will be simple, without any extravaganza, pomp and show.

The participants will arrange for their own travel and stay.

To utilize the time for the meet better, the speakers will need to submit their issues of discussion well in advance to the organizers through mail or Whatsapp. This is meant to avoid any unnecessary or ambiguous talk on the occasion.

Participants active on the ground will be given priority for sharing their views.

The schedule of the day will be published on our website one day in advance though it may be slightly altered subject to availability of our guests.

Last but not the least, volunteers are always invited. For any further query or assistance, please feel free to write to us at: coordinators.ainaa@gmail.com. Or you may kindly call any one of us:

We are going to organize a Get Together @JNVKatihar, Bihar on 23rd, 24th and 25th in the month of December 2017. This is decided after having the discussion with DM of Katihar.

Most important, this is exclusively for JNVK Alumni. As we all know that we are working/living/studying in various places of India. By hosting this meet at our lovely campus, our aim will be twofold: First, to know each other and propose for future plan through our mutual discussion. Secondly, to make this event a memorable event via our interaction as we know for the development of any action, interaction is very important.

It will be a meet for three days. We will publish the objectives of this meet soon. The chief guests and guests, who are going to interact and motivate the alumni, will not be a surprise this time. All the JNVK alumni are invited for this meeting. Think, Decide and kindly confirm your availability so that we can PROCEED accordingly. We want to know roughly how many of alumni will gather for the event so that we can make better arrangements.

Dear friends, we can’t return what navodaya has given us but at least we can try to give back to the society as much as possible by participating in this event. Our little effort can shape the future of those growing navodayans. We request everybody to please feel free to put your ideas/views in order to make this event memorable and successful and also to carry forward the torch of responsible JNV alumni and students.

We all are aware of the flood situation in Bihar. I have faced it for the first time as I am in Bihar for the last few days. The flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim with major rivers overflowing into the neighbouring areas. Many districts have been affected by the floods including my district, KATIHAR. And its very very scary when you see the dam broken just 3 km away from your home. It feels like escaping death from its deadly jaws when you see the water overflowing the dam so closely. So many people have died, several have lost their homes. The condition is so pathetic in some areas that we cannot describe in words. You can see the dead bodies of children, young and old lying here and there when the water recedes. The data published officially for loss of life may be less than what the real situation is. Relief camps are being setup by the Government but the need of the hour is much more than that.

After seeing the deadly situation, we alumni of Navodaya have decided to do something about it. There are so many ways to help the helpless here. We are thinking of providing shelter, sponsorship for children (at least for a year) and logistics. We may not be able to do this for all, but at least we can do it for a few within our capacity.

You know that great things are shaped by simple and small things. So let us think and act upon it, as someone has rightly said “a small good deed is better than the grandest good intention”. So the time has come for us to join together and strengthen each other so that we are able to serve seamlessly our own family members facing this disaster.

We are open to receive the contribution from all the coroners. Every donation, whatever be the amount, is welcome. No donation is small when it is done with a big heart. Any amount you can donate would be greatly appreciated! And at the same time, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have been supporting this cause.

You may use anyone of the mentioned account for contribution. Some donations have come to the account of Rajkishor, Prakash, and Avnish while some of have donated through other channels. Additionally, soon we will be updating the details of contribution made till now. Also, I appreciate all our coordinators for their great coordination and support. Let’s join hands together!

You may donate online or through our many other ways like through Paytm # 9619500732. We have made it easy to help in ways that work for you.

I would like to bring to the notice of my Navodaya brothers and sisters a few things here for self-appraisal. Its not that I am against anybody nor am I trying to demean anyone here. This is just my view and I always have been working this way. I am not follower of anyone, but I try to evaluate the right way, taking guidance wherever necessary, and propose the same for everyone else. Seeing the present state of Navodayans, I would like to talk about a few things here.

I have always felt that my navodaya family is doing something different which makes us feel proud and it gives us a sense of satisfaction but seeing few recent activities…it does not give me any pride nor do I appreciate such things. Pardon me if anybody is getting hurt reading this post. I am happy if anyone among you does any kind of activities for uplifting a navodayan’s life and I really admire such kinds of activities. But I discourage activities meant for momentary pleasures as they are not going to be helpful for our family in any way. If anybody is earning enough money, please value that money and invest it to help others rather just going to any five or seven star hotels to have alumni meet. We have such beautiful and large campuses in front of which five or seven star hotels have no value. At personal level you are free to do so. No one will object you…but our vision is getting diluted and I feel that we are lacking the guidance and going on the wrong track.

Secondly, the news of my brothers and sisters fighting with each other over petty issues and getting divided is also disheartening. The vision of Navodaya has National Integration as one of its pillars, and our conduct needs to be in consonance with our vision. Our opinions may differ, but the sense of being related needs to continue. So, here we require some introspection!

Hence I propose a few things here:

We are all aware that JNV works to select talented rural children as the target group and attempts to provide them with quality education. Keeping this in view, we need to organize our get-togethers and other activities in a simple but profound manner and that too in our own campuses so that as many students as possible can get benefited and feel inspired.

We need to work on our mutual relationships so that we work in an integrated manner, rather than getting divided as we have been taught to work for national integrity and this has been the vision of entire Navodaya.

We need to expand our activities to other needy children of the society, and not restrict ourselves to only Navodayans. So our activities will be by Navodayans but for the entire Nation.

We have a huge manpower, but we need to devise ways to utilize our potential in the right direction, rather than spoiling it over our own conflicts!

We can make a team of guardians made up of experienced teachers/ principals/ commissioners/ deputy commissioners who will keep guiding us and evaluating our performance from time to time. For example: Nageshwar Rao sir, Rama Rao sir, Ramchandra sir, Ashok Shukla sir, Girish sir, Ali sir, D K Modi sir and many more…

We can invite eminent personalities of the society for giving talk to our team which will not only enthuse them but also make us dream big for the society and nation.

It is only a proposal from me. You may agree or disagree with me over these points, and hence I invite suggestions from you for open discussion.

We are able to see that there are many navodayans who are trying to work for our lovely navodaya and alumni. It is very nice to see this. But at the same time, I would like to mention that we need to stand together in this effort. We have spent seven bright golden years of our life at Navodaya, and we used to sing a prayer that said: हम स्वराज्य की रिचा नवल, भारत की नवलय हों; नव सूर्योदय, नव चंद्रोदय, हमी नवोदय हों!! And certainly this was not meant to live a life where we feel divided with our own brothers and sisters.

We are not working for power or position here, but rather for a noble cause. If anybody has any political agenda, I think this is not the right venue for this purpose. We need to work selflessly for our brothers and sisters, and then only we can make a sustainable contribution for the Navodayans. We can imbibe only those qualities in our juniors which we are able to live up to ourselves. We are the guides for our juniors, and hence we need to be very responsible in our efforts. We certainly do not want a family (I am talking of JNV family) where people stand divided, but rather where people are working harmoniously. Hence, ensuring harmony is the baseline of all such efforts that we make for the society.

Just give a sincere thought to it, and see if this is something that you would really like to be, whether you will really feel happy being divided. If not, we need to dispel our ego, and join together. Remember that we are setting a trend by our actions. Just think what will happen if our juniors too start working separately? Will we ever be able to fulfill our goal this way? I recall the poem written by one of my lovely sisters, Shweta Sharma, and I find it quite befitting here:

Come on, join hands as it is
Time to rewind the grand old days,
With new energy and enthusiasm
And refreshing charming new ways

We want to listen to
Your plans and ideas bubbling
And you can always tell us about
Something good or even troubling

Great things are shaped by
Steps simple and small
And to make a great deal occur,
We need participation of you all

Together we would bring on
Fun, activities and serious talk
We promise to hold your hand
And be with you in life’s every walk

And we are sure you would do the same
After all we strengthen each other
So let’s join hands and put in efforts
To move the association further

Together we can serve the society
In whatever way we deem fit
Linking the small steps together
And walk hand in hand without conflict

We should stand up and act now
As gone past the time to think
And we have the ability and will
To create magic in a blink

This below poem is sent by Vishwas bhaiya. A very touching poem written by Suhani, who is a school going girl and a lovely daughter of Vishwas Saxena bhaiya. Please go through the emotions projected and exempt her from grammar—reading this I have some questions for existing education system . A consideration is needed. Anyway read the tender emotions of a fairy and feel her agony!

Circumstances

Every good thing comes to an end!
That is true when my grandmother become sick
And to cure her there was no trick.

Some say organ failure,
Some say paralysis
But we don’t know what the exact crisis

When we were fighting tooth and nail
They told me you school fees was going in vain

When I took leave to curb her loneliness
They said me your attendance was less
Yet they gave me speech topic “old age or
Loneliness who was responsible”
I think its school!!!!!!

When my brother was sacrificing his boards,
My mother ignoring her lectures which she never did
And my father who thrashed the government rules
Came from country far off
Just see her well of
That time their attitude showed off.

When I get myself medicine trained
They told you can be detained!

When I was stealing time to sleep
They told wake up this is not time to creep.

But in the mean time she was sinking and
Your homework is not complete they were shrieking.

When told the reason they said this
Excuse for this season.

She is their but quiet what
To do I cried
I took her my priority
Goons of school shed their superiority.

Than come my final exams
Sitting in intensive care unit
I am finishing mu maths unit
Eight days passed their
She came home as she is here

I passed my exams with self satisfactory Marks
And on myself they leave no scars

Now they threat me this is boards
When we are fighting with black society crowds.
Who can consider daughter but not daughter in law
And for this there is no law.

Than they ordered to take a game
And at home we are playing game of blame

She had big! Big! bed sours
On which everyday compounders knife and sizzer throws
And she and we use to roar.

In this calamity of
Howling of society…………..
Trespassed rules……………..
And chasing a college………
We don’t have time to curb our fatigued
They told these chapters you have to read.

Now came a deadly day
When her hemoglobin come to
Three
And doctor advised for blood transplant
My mother did it for her.

Pure blood matched legendary blood!
But alas! The organ fails
And from the world she sails
She departed and we parted!!

Now I say that in student’s life
There are some circumstances
Which led to odd instances

We, all Navodayans heartily congratulate you. We are proud of you on your great achievement. Wish you all the best in whatever goals you seek.

Navodaya is creating great leaders for tomorrow. We are grateful to all the Novadaya Teachers whose support is there 24X7, which never happens in any other school or Gurukuls.

Looking at the state of society today, we have great expectations from you. May you work towards establishing ethical and moral standards among the youth and leaders of today for a better tomorrow!

Friends, please keep adding the names as well if you get to know anyone who cracked UPSC this year from our JNV Family!

Dear All,

Please register on http://www.jnvalumni.com/ to connect to JNV alumni network all over India. This will not only give you a chance to serve the society but also an assurance that you will never be alone. Connecting to probably the biggest alumni network in India has its benefits, and with all that Navodaya has given us, this is the least we can do. So Come on, join hands…!!!

Mr. Bhaskar Save, acclaimed ‘Gandhi of Natural Farming’, turned 92 on 27 January 2014, having inspired and mentored 3 generations of organic farmers. Indeed, his farm is a veritable food forest; a net supplier of water, energy and fertility to the local Eco-system, instead of a net consumer. His way of farming and teachings are rooted in a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationships in nature, which he is ever happy to explain in simple, down-to-earth idioms to anyone interested. He has 14 acre orchard-farm “Kalpavruksha” is located on the Coastal highway near village Dehri, District Valsad, in southernmost coastal Gujarat, a few km north of the Maharashtra-Gujarat border.

As per him, the Principles of Farming in Harmony with Nature. “The four fundamental principles of natural farming are quite simple!” declares Mr. Bhaskar as mentioned below:

‘All living creatures have an equal right to live’. To respect such right, farming must be non-violent.

Everything in Nature is useful and serves a purpose in the web of life.

Farming is a “Dharma“, a sacred path of serving Nature and fellow creatures; it must not degenerate into a pure ‘Dhandha‘ or money-oriented business. Short-sighted greed to earn more – ignoring Nature’s laws – is the root of the ever-mounting problems we face.

The principle of perennial fertility regeneration. It observes that we humans have a right only to the fruits and seeds of the crops we grow. These constitute 5 to 15 % of the plants’ biomass yield. The balance 85 to 95 % of the biomass, the crop residue, must go back to the soil to renew its fertility, either directly as mulch, or as the manure of farm animals. If this is religiously followed, nothing is needed from outside; the fertility of the land will not decline.

About twenty steps inside the gate of his farm is a sign that says: “Co-operation is the fundamental Law of Nature.”

Like this:

Oh, yes! A man of great courage facing the corrupt people…He is an honest man, a transparent person who, if errs, also accepts his mistakes, but continues to fulfill his commitment and that commitment is “Swarajya”. Is it worthy of hate!!!

I read this interesting article on Arun Bharti’s status update on Facebook and would like to share here. You may read the entire message below:

Funny country, ours is. We love to hate. We are so fed up of our own miserable problems and pathetic administration that we just need a media-created effigy to direct our hatred and burn. Beyond logic. Beyond rationale. Beyond the levels of tolerance and sophistication that one can expect from a country that boasts itself as the world’s largest democracy.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal humbled in the recent national elections. Just four members from his party got into parliament and Kejriwal himself lost by a mammoth 337,000 votes at Varanasi to the next PM of India, Narendra Modi. Honestly speaking, it was a stupid move by AK to challenge Modi at Varanasi. He could’ve contested from his home constituency, won his seat in parliament and actually made a difference from inside over the next 5 years. Isn’t that why he split from Anna Hazare in the first place??

The hate for AK started last year when he resigned as CM of Delhi within 49 days of being voted the majority government. Yes, he betrayed the trust of Delhi, and the whole country, the eyes of which were constantly upon him. The disappointment turned to hate and we coined terms like Farjiwal, Fekriwal,Bhagoda and some of our trademarked Hindi swear words which never cease to evolve every-time they’re mentioned. In more ways than not, justified.

All he asked for this week was forgiveness and another chance. He apologized to the people of Delhi, and India. He conceded his mistake and inexperience. Gave his reasoning, and came out pleading for a chance to make things right.

And what do we do?? We lambaste him on social media, accusing him of dramatics, calling him all sorts of things, talking about flogging him publicly and what not! Not to mention his supporters being called AAP-tards and baboons (which, thankfully, is not racist in India).

Nobody wanted to touch AK before the elections. He came out and blasted the most influential people in India for corruption and money laundering, and nobody had the balls to do anything more than denying and reverse accusing him on the news. But now that BJP has swept off the elections, Nitin Gadkari comes along and files a defamation suit. Amazing things power does to people. [Correction: The case was filed a few months ago. Yet, of all the crimes people can commit, we see sense in filing a case for calling someone ‘corrupt’.]

Kejriwal, sent to judicial custody, refused to pay the bail/bond amount of Rs. 10,000 and said that he’d defend himself in court. Why do we accuse him of being above the law? Any defendant has the right to not pay the bail money. It’s an option, not a law. And he said he’d defend his stand in his court hearing. He’s not answerable to the pedestrian unappreciative masses on social media. Wake up and see sense, people. Hating him won’t get you anything.

Back in 2011, he went to jail for similar charges. Back then, he was just an activist, not a political leader. It was easy to pick on him. He didn’t pay the bail even then. He was seen as a hero back then. Why wasn’t that perceived as above the law? Our very own national hero, Mahatma Gandhi, was sent to jail by the British. He was offered bail for as little as 1 Rupee, but, he still declined.

We reelect criminals to parliament. People with blatant corruption charges, people who have more black money than most people earn legitimately their whole life, rapists, uneducated, worthless ministers. Everyone is forgiven and voted back to parliament.

Why not Arvind Kejriwal? A clean record, a degree from India’s premiere technology institute and so many more qualifications that could bring the more than half of the current parliament to shame… and most of all, clean intentions a good heart.

I don’t expect this article to be received well by most of you. I’m probably just another AAP-tard baboon on your timelines. Your hate for Congress and AAP has blinded you too much to read or hear anything against anyone remotely related to BJP, let alone trying to look at it objectively.

But, to those who see sense like me, I hope you’re in Delhi. Give him another chance. He’s a good man.

Like this:

This article has been sent by Major Surendra Poonia bhaiya, who is an alumnus of JNV and AFMC Pune. Moreover, he is an Indian sportsman, decorated Indian Army officer, motivational speaker, and a doctor. I would like to put his article right here.

Destiny is not always the deciding factor in determining success. It also takes courage, strong sense of self belief and a never give up attitude.

Powered by sheer grit and determination, 25-year-old Arunima Sinha created history at 10.55 am on May 21, 2013, by becoming the first Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest – the world’s tallest peak – as part of the Eco Everest Expedition from the Tata Group. She took 52 days to reach the summit.

But this achievement takes on a different meaning when one considers the events that transpired two years ago; events that mirror the state of our society where law and order have different meaning depending on one’s class and gender.

On April 12, 2011, Arunima Sinha – a former national volleyball player who lives in Ambedakar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh – was travelling from her town to New Delhi in the general compartment of the Padmavati Express. Her aim was to join the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She was planning to go to the Noida office of CISF to get details about the centre for the physical examination scheduled for May 7 and to ensure a correction in her date of birth in the call letter received by her.

Arunima Sinha (AP Photo)

It was then that her life took an unfortunate turn. Miscreants on the train tried to snatch her chain. When she resisted they threw her out of the train onto the path of an incoming train. Arunima was hit by the passing train and sustained critically injuries. She was hospitalized but on April 18, 2011, she was brought to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, with serious leg and pelvic injuries. In a bid to save her life, doctors had to amputate her left leg below the knee. She spent four months at AIIMS, where she was provided a prosthetic leg free of cost by a private Delhi-based Indian company.

Her painful story did not end with the amputation of her leg. Her trauma continued in the insensitive manner with which the police investigated the incident. Additional Director General of Government Railway Police (GRP) A.K. Jain had pointed out “holes” in Arunima’s version of the events that led to her amputation. At the time he said: “Investigations have revealed that Arunima’s story had many holes. We have reason to suspect that she suffered the injuries either in an attempt to commit suicide or she met with an accident, but chose to blame it on crime in the railways.”

One can only imagine what might have gone through the mind of a girl who was the victim of a serious crime while also grappling with the agonizing trauma of having a limb amputed. But this is where Arunima showed her indomitable spirit. Refusing to let these horrific events break her, she decided to do something which would be a mighty challenge for even a physically abled person.

While still recovering in hospital she decided she would one day reach the summit of Mount Everest with her prosthetic leg. Overcoming the scars of the accident and defying all odds, Arunima started training at the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) camp in Uttarkashi last year under the guidance of Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to conquer Everest. She excelled in the basic mountaineering course from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. In the run-up to the Everest ascent Arunima successfully scaled the 6,622-meter-high Mount Chhamser Kangri of Ladakh last year, but her ultimate goal was to climb Mount Everest; a goal that evades many mountaineers either due to their own physical limitations or their mental belief in their own capabilities.

Climbing Mount Everest is a not a joke; it is considered a stupendous feat for any individual who even attempts to do so. And doing the same with a prosthetic limb, therefore, makes it a one of a kind achievement.

Arunima reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 21, 2013, and became the first female amputee to do so. Her achievement shows no road is tough for a person with self-belief and determination and this applies to everyone. This teaches us a great lesson in life: one’s will power and determination can do anything. This shows human spirit cannot be subdued.

But this story throws few sad and unanswered questions to all Indians. Like, what happened to the culprits who pushed her from the train? Have they been apprehended? Have they been jailed? What happened to the DIG who passed his own judgement on the incident alleging that she was trying to commit suicide? Why is our cricket crazy nation going all over for ‘Fixed & Sold’ IPL and ignoring such heroic and unparalleled feats by other sports persons?

The entire country should salute Arunima’s achievement, courage, fighting spirit and physical robustness. She has defied all odds and this act of hers will be an inspiration for millions throughout the world. She is the epitome and symbol of raw courage, self belief, determination, optimism and an indomitable human spirit. Arunima is and will be an inspiration and a true role model to all women and younger generation not only in India but around the globe.

Long live courage, fighting spirit and self-belief of mankind. Let us celebrates her victory. Respect and three cheers to Arunima ‘Everest’ Sinha.

हौसला हो बुलंद तो तूफ़ानो में भी चिराग जलते हैं!!!

Hats off to you Lady and Salute your will power!!! You are a one of the real inspiring women on the planet. No words to describe….You have left me speechless! 😯

Thank you Surendra Poonia urf Guru bhai for sharing her story with us.